1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a bottle conveyor arrangement for conveying bottles and similar containers.
2. Background Information
Background information is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily admit that subsequently mentioned information and publications are prior art.
The present application relates to a bottle conveyor arrangement for conveying bottles and similar containers. The present application further relates to a container conveying system comprising a replaceable rail or guide element having an upper and lower rail or guide element level for guiding containers.
Container conveying systems are used, for example, in container treatment plants to guide the containers that are to be treated, for example drinks containers or beverage bottles, through the container treatment plant. For this purpose the system may comprise both rigid rail elements, i.e. rail elements along which the containers glide, or also rotating rail elements, i.e. rail elements in which the containers are conveyed. Such rotating rail elements may form part of a rotating guide or conveyor, such as a star wheel.
Due to the large number of different container types that are usually processed in a container treatment plant, it is necessary or it may be desired for the rail elements that are provided in the container conveying system to be replaceable.
Due to the frequent damage that occurs to the containers, for example glass containers, the rail elements should also be as resilient as possible to resist damage and/or contamination from the drinks or beverages that either leak or spill out of faulty or broken containers, or the glass shards of broken glass containers.
It should also be possible to replace the rail elements rapidly and easily so as to avoid and/or minimize and/or restrict unnecessary or undesired downtime of the container treatment plant for replacing a rail element or for cleaning of the rail element. Beside the actual rail elements, it must or may also be possible to clean their mountings speedily and easily and still essentially guarantee or promote the secure mounting of the rail elements when the container treatment plant is in operation.
Some container conveying systems comprise a mounting in which a locking mechanism in the manner of a bayonet fitting was provided, together with an associated screwed clamping mechanism. Some container conveying systems comprise a mounting in the manner of a mushroom-headed lock through a small pivoting lock arm, while some container conveying systems comprise a locking element for format parts in which a spring-loaded adapter is arranged between control element and format part.